Concrete finishing machines

Abstract

A concrete finishing machine embodying an elongated supporting frame for extending across a roadway, or the like, and having a conveyor screw projecting from one side of the frame for advancing and spreading concrete ahead of the machine and having screed mechanism below the supporting frame for striking-off, smoothing and vibrating such spread concrete.

I claim: 
     
       1. A concrete finishing machine comprising a. an elongated supporting frame,   b. means mounted on said frame for moving said frame along a highway in a direction transverse to the length of said frame,   c. supporting means mounted on said frame for movement longitudinally thereof,   d. means mounted on said frame for reciprocating said supporting means longitudinally of said frame,   e. an elongated conveyor screw   
     
     
       1. mounted on and carried by said supporting means for movement therewith longitudinally of said frame in a direction transverse to the length of said screw, and 2. projecting generally horizontally from one longitudinal side of said frame for moving concrete away from said one side upon rotation of said screw,   f. means mounted on said supporting means for rotating said screw,   g. an elongated screed,   h. means mounting said screed on said frame in substantially directly underlying parallel relation thereto in position to engage concrete underlying said frame,   i. means on said supporting frame for longitudinally reciprocating said screed, and   j. means on said screed for vertically vibrating the latter,   k. said means mounted said screed comprising   1. two pairs of substantially horizontally extending parallel tracks mounted on respective end portions of said screed and disposed thereabove in substantially parallel relation to said screed, 2.     
     
     
       2. two pairs of rollers, 3. each of rollers supportingly underlying a respective end of said tracks,   4. abutment means projecting outwardly from opposite lateral sides of each of said end portions of said screed, and   5. two pairs or other rollers mounted on and supported by said frame in depending relation thereto,   6. each of said rollers being operatively engaged with the upper surface of a respective one of said abutment means in position to hold said tracks   
     
     
        down against said first mentioned rollers. 2. A concrete finishing machine as defined in claim 1, and in which a. said screed comprises 1. an elongated housing of substantially U-shaped transverse cross-section and having a. a bottom wall and   b. two side walls projecting upwardly from respective opposite longitudinal edges of said bottom wall, and     2. substantially upstanding supporting plates a. mounted in said housing in spaced relation to each other longitudinally of said housing, and   b. secured to said side walls,       b. said means mounting said screed comprises 1. other supporting plates a. mounted on and carried by said supporting frame in depending relation thereto, and   b. being disposed in parallel spaced relation to respective ones of said first mentioned supporting plates, and       
     
     
       2. vibration-absorbing resilient connectors disposed between respective pairs of said adjacent ones of said first mentioned and other supporting plates in position to resiliently support said other plates from said first mentioned plates and isolate vibrations of said screed from said supporting frame. 
     
     
       3. A concrete finishing machine comprising a. an elongated supporting frame,   b. means mounted on said frame for moving said frame along a highway in a direction transverse to the length of said frame,   c. supporting means mounted on said frame for movement longitudinally thereof,   d. means mounted on said frame for reciprocating said supporting means longitudinally of said frame,   e. an elongated conveyor screw 1. mounted on and carried by said supporting means for movement therewith longitudinally of said frame in a direction transverse to the length of said screw, and   2. projecting generally horizontally from one longitudinal side of said frame, in the direction of movement of the latter along such a highway, for moving concrete away from said one side upon rotation of said screw,     f. means mounted on said supporting means and operatively connected to said screw for rotating said screw,   g. means operatively connected to said supporting means for moving said screw upwardly and downwardly relative to said frame,   h. elongated screed means mounted on said frame in substantially directly underlying parallel relation thereto in position to engage concrete underlying said frame,   i. means operatively connected to said screed means for raising and lowering the latter,   j. means on said supporting frame and operatively connected to said screed means for longitudinally reciprocating said screed means, and   k. means on said screed means for vertically vibrating the latter.   
     
     
       4. A concrete finishing machine as defined in claim 3, and in which a. said means for raising and lowering said screed means comprises means included in said first mentioned means for raising and lowering said frame and thereby simultaneously raising and lowering said conveyor screw and said screed means.   
     
     
       5. A concrete finishing machine as defined in claim 4, and a. which includes 1. a control station,   2. control means, at said control station, operatively connected to said first mentioned means for controlling movement of said frame along such a highway and selectively causing said frame to move in said one direction, move in the direction opposite to said one direction and to stop, and   3. other control means, at said control station, for controlling operation of said means for raising and lowering said frame.     
     
     
       6. A concrete finishing machine as defined in claim 4, and in which a. said means for vibrating said screed means comprises 1. an elongated shaft mounted in and extending longitudinally of said screed means,   2. means mounted on said supporting frame and operatively connected to said shaft for rotating said shaft, and     
     
     
       3. weight means eccentrically mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith. 
     
     
       7. A concrete finishing machine as defined in claim 4, and in which a. said screed means comprises two elongated screeds disposed in horizontally spaced, substantially parallel relation to each other in substantially directly underlying relation to said supporting frame,   b. one of said screeds being closer than the other to said conveyor screw, and   c. said means for vibrating comprises 1. an elongated shaft mounted in and extending longitudinally of said one screed,   2. means mounted on said supporting frame and operatively connected to said shaft for rotating said shaft, and   3. a plurality of weights eccentrically mounted on said shaft in spaced relation to each other for rotation with said shaft.     
     
     
       8. A concrete finishing machine as defined in claim 7, and in which a. said one screed is supported from said supporting frame by non-metallic resilient members for isolating vibrations of said one screed from said supporting frame.   
     
     
       9. A concrete finishing machine as defined in claim 5, and in which a. said supporting means comprises   
     
     
       1. one elongated substantially vertically extending supporting member mounted on said one side of said frame, 2. another elongated supporting member a. disposed in supporting engagement with said shaft, and   b. movable upwardly and downwardly along said one supporting member, and     3. means operatively connected to said other supporting member for adjusting the vertical position of the latter relative to said one supporting member.